在日本的選舉中，宗教每每扮演著政黨幕後支持者的角色，從本文對日 本唯一組織政黨且在國會取得議席的宗教團體--創價學會的探究中，可以 看出二者之間的互動關係。源於日蓮正宗的創價學會本為宗教團體，初始在 遭受迫害後，為免除被整肅的命運，及達到成為日本國教之目的，乃以參政 為手段，積極介入選舉，且以執政為其終極目標，先後組織的公明黨及新進 黨皆為達成該目標的工具，代表著日本宗教欲依附政權以求穩定的心態。然 而日蓮正宗、創價學會及公明黨或新進黨間，卻亦存在分歧與欲求獨立的心 態，彼此間相互依附與利用。由於日本有其特殊的官僚政治與政黨政治的背 景，宗教並不是獲致政權的關鍵力量，這可從創價學會在政途上奮鬥半世紀 仍未達成其目標得到印證。因此，日本選舉中，雖可見宗教力量的影響，但 若論欲藉宗教達成實際操控政治，掌握政權，則尚言之過早。

　　　　　In Japan's elections, religious groups often play the role of behind- the- scenes supporter of political parties; this interaction can be seen from the author's analysis of the Soka Gakkai, the only religious organization in Japan that has formed political parties and won parliamentary seats. Originally an offshoot of Nichiren seishu, Soka Gakkai is a religious organization that decided to ensure its own survival and achieve its objective of becoming Japan's national religion through active political participation. It has successively organized the Komei Party and Shinshinto (New Frontier Party) to actively participate in elections, with the ultimate objective of becoming Japan's ruling party. However, Japan has a special background of bureaucracy and partisan politics; religion is not a decisive force for accession of political power. Thus, the Soka Gakkai has sought political control for half a century without attaining its objective. Although religious influence can be discerned in Japan's elections, it is still impossible for any organization to achieve substantial control of political power by exercising religious influence.